Few would have faulted anyone for thinking thatPragmatawasn’t a real video game. After abrief teaser by Capcom in 2020, and a short clip announcing the game was postponed in 2023, there were few signs of life coming from the game. But any who doubted Pragmata’s existence can now rest easy:it is real and we’ve played it.But more than that, I was surprised by how unique the combat in the game is.
AtSummer Game Fest2025’s Play Days, Capcom offered a short, 20-minute hands-on demo forPragmatathat was almost exclusively focused on combat. There were a few sentences of text over a black background explaining that the main character, Hugh, and his adolescent companion, Diana, are trying to discover why things have gone awry on their interstellar locale – and that they are trying to get back to Earth – butCapcom is keepingPragmata’s narrative a mystery for now.
Pragmata Stands Out Because Of Its Striking Combat
The Puzzle Elements Add A Unique Flavor To Combat
Less mysterious, however, is how the game’s combat works, and it is quite unexpected. You could be forgiven for thinkingPragmatamight beResident Evilwith robotsand in space, but there is a lot more going on than that. While the fundamentals of third-person shooting still drive the gameplay inPragmata, it has a puzzle element as well.
For his main line of offense, Hugh is equipped with a basic, 6-shot futuristic pistol that recharges ammo over time. You can plink away at the robotic enemies in the game, but those bullets do barely any damage. It’s onlywhen Diana enters the fray with her hacking ability that the enemies truly become vulnerable.
As Hugh is aiming at a target,Diana will hack themand unlock a mini-game, of sorts. Using the face buttons as directions (Triangle = UP, X = Down, etc.), the player must create a pathway through a 4x4 square grid, going from the starting position, passing through blue spaces, and then terminating at a green space. It’s nothing too challenging, but it’s not mindless either, because you can’t use the same square twice. If done correctly, and you’ve passed through the blue squares and made it to the green square, then the enemy’s outer coverings will pop open, revealing weak points for Hugh to lay into.
It’s not nearly as complex to execute as it is to explain, but the idea is that while the player is using the left stick to avoid an enemy (or enemies) by strafing or boost-dodging, they are simultaneously navigating this square puzzle to open their target up for damage. It’s alittle like patting your head and rubbing your stomach,but it becomes easier the more you do it. And mercifully, if you lose line of sight and then regain it, your progress in the puzzle carries over.
The puzzles inPragmatamake the combat more challenging and require youto trulypay attention.
ThePragmatademo also featured some really basic puzzle solving and light traversal, where Hugh could use his mechanized suit to jump and hover over laser walls. It wasn’t as inventive as the combat, but it does suggest thatPragmatacould have some unique exploration opportunities in between combat sequences.
Butit’s the combat that makes the game stand out so far. The wayPragmatasets up its “damage phase” through the puzzle mechanic is initially intriguing, and there were hints as to how it can evolve over time. The demo included a shotgun-like weapon that dealt higher damage at close range, but was limited to only a few shots. As well as a Decode node on the puzzle path that, if you unlocked it during the hack, made a target even weaker.
Unfortunately, the demo ended right before the big boss fight seen in thePragmatatrailer from the Sony State of Play, but that’s usually how these hands-on previews go. You get a sense for how the game plays and are left with enough of a tease to leave you wanting more. I certainly want to see more ofPragmata, because there is a lot more to learn about the game before it releases in 2026.
It’s unclear how sophisticated the puzzling could get or if having to hack each target will stay as engaging as it was during this 20-minute hands-on session, but there’s no denyingPragmatais going for something different. It may have the sheen and graphical fidelity of a triple-A title, but it’s also doing things a little out of the ordinary.
Pragmata
WHERE TO PLAY
Capcom’s newest IP—PRAGMATA. An all-new Science Fiction action adventure with its own unique hacking twist!It is the near future, and protagonists Hugh and his android companion Diana, must work together as they make their way through the cold lunar research station.
